Redemption
by ninjacatgirl
Summary: It all started on one fatal night, where a victimis murdered. Seven years later, the killer strikes again. For Jenny and Hailey, it is a race against time to find a killer who will stop at nothing to end the lives of the ones they love most, and their own
1. Introduction:

This is a story I am currently writing. It is called Redemption. There are three parts to this book. The first part is called Remembrance. The second part is called Acceptance and the third part is called Repentance. If you have any questions, comments, or ideas about this story, please tell me. This is not a perfect story, but I am trying my best to make it that way. I hope you like it.


	2. Prologue:

It all started one fateful night; on Prom night, where a guy named Jake Marstone became a fatal victim in the hands of a deadly assassin. Seven years later, the investigation is still underway, with more victims for the psychopath to hunt down and murder. Even after seven years, Hailey and Jenny still bear the scars of that fateful night. The click is ticking. Time is running out. Hailey and Jenny have to unlock the doors that were closed seven years before, re-live the nightmare, and race against time to find a killer who will stop at nothing to end the lives of the ones they love most, including their own.

Prologue


	3. Chapter 1

PART ONE: REMEMBERANCE

"You might have loved me, if you had known me. If you had ever known my mind. If you would have walked through my dreams and memories. Who knows what treasures you might have found. Yes, you might have loved me. If you had only taken the time."

- Unknown author

_Chapter One - _

It was a night she knew she'd never forget. A night she wished hadn't happened. No, a night she knew _shouldn't_ have happened. But it did; and it was all her fault. She sat there, hands trembling as she re-read the letter she had received and she remembered…

It was an average day for St. Augustine's High School. Kids hurried to class, bumping into other kids, scrambling left and right. Teachers yelled down the hallways "Get to class!" at some kids; others were standing there talking, ignoring the teachers completely. Jenny sighed. Yep, it was a normal day all right. Or so she thought. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that this very place, these very halls, would one day become a living nightmare.

Jenny stared; face blank, at the board ahead as she sat in her desk, pencil in hand, in English IV AP. It's been a long day. She looked at the clock and sighed. _I wish something interesting would happen soon_. School's so booring!

"Jenny!" someone whispered. She turned her head to see who the person was. She rolled her eyes at her best friends, Emily and Brie. Brie pointed to something next to her foot. Emily grinned like an idiot. Jenny picked up the note, looked at who it was from and rolled her eyes. Brie nodded eagerly as Jenny opened the note. She read it and smiled.

"Psstt!" Jenny looked at Emily like she was insane.

"What?!" Jenny mouthed.

"What's it say?" Brie whispered too loudly. Jenny inwardly groaned. _Why me?_ she thought as she mouthed "Later" to her friends. Brie made a sad face and Emily mock-glared at her. Jenny smiled at them and turned to face the board again. Suddenly, the bell rang. Some students jumped out of their desks and raced to the door. Others stayed in their seats, talking to their friends. Jenny stood up and turned to face her friends. "Hey y'all, I have to go talk to Lisa about the party. I'll talk to y'all later." Jenny made a face that was interpreted as a groan. Brie and Emily laughed. "Good luck chicka!" Brie called as they walked off.

"Tell us about that note later mk?" Emily called out.

Jenny didn't have to look far. Lisa found her as she was walking to the parking lot.

"So, I was thinking, you know, for the party, that we should make it, like, _totally awesome_, like, the _best party ever_!" Jenny groaned. If anyone could get on her nerves, it was Lisa. _Lisa_. The girl who thought she was everyone's "best friend" when in reality they all _hated_ her. They just didn't want to be mean and say it to her face. So, they stayed quiet about it. "Jenny, are you listening to me?" Lisa demanded.

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry Lisa, but I have to go. My ride's here. Hope the party works out." Jenny faked a smile before leaving. Ugh, how she hated Lisa. Lisa herself wasn't a bad person; it's just some of the things she _did_ that were annoying; like getting all up in your face when she's trying to talk to you, trying to be funny when she's really not, and things like that. Jenny tried to be nice about it, but it was hard. She was a Christian, and she knew God would want her to do the right thing, even if she didn't like it very much. Jenny sighed as she got into the front seat, next to Jake, and slammed the door.

"Lisa?" Jake asked. Jenny nodded. Jake laughed as he started up the car's engine. Jenny punched him in the arm. "Just shut up and drive." Jake grinned.

Jenny sighed as she slammed her books closed. Done, _finally_. She glanced at the clock. Two hours had passed. She checked her e-mail and found a message from Emily, Hey, call me. The message read. Jenny finished checking her e-mail and picked up the phone to call Emily. She got the answering machine, left a message, and hung up. Jenny sighed. What to do now? The phone rang. She checked the Caller I.D. It was Emily. She picked the phone up.

"Hey, Em." she said.

"Hey, Jen. Sorry I didn't pick up. Don't forget about the party tonight." Jenny looked at the clock. It was seven-thirty.

"Yeah, I'm not."

"Are you going? I am."

"I don't know. I might stay home."

"Oh, come on Jen!" Emily whined. "It'll be fun. Yeah, I know it's at school but it'll still be fun. There's gonna be a lot of people there. You _have_ to go. Please." Jenny sighed.

"What if I don't feel like meeting lotsa people?"

"You party pooper! Come on!"

"I have nothing to wear." Jenny protested.

"Oh, puh-lease! Wear your blue dress. The really pretty one that you got for seven dollars!"

"But-" Jenny protested.

"Anna's _still_ jealous of that." Emily laughed. Jenny had to join in.

"Fine, I'll go."

"Yay!" Emily exclaimed. "Meet me at the party in thirty minutes, ok?" The line went dead. Jenny hung up the phone. Well, she might as well go considering she had nothing better to do at the moment. She got up and went to get changed.

Prom Night

February 1992

St. Augustine's High School

Minneapolis, Michigan

Loud music filed the air. It looked like the whole school had arrived. There were bright lights everywhere Jenny turned. She saw Jake Marstone, the guy who every girl had a crush on, standing next a group of his football friends. Then she saw Emily, Brie, Ethan, and Annalise talking. She ran up to the group. "Hey, guys." She said with a smile. Brie turned around to look at her. "Oh. My. Gosh. Jen you look great." Jenny smiled. "Thanks."

"Hey, Jen." Jake smiled at her as he passed by. Jenny smiled back at him. After he left, she blushed.

"Jen, you _have_ to tell him that you like him." Brie said.

"Yeah, just like Brie." Ethan chimed in as he looked at Brie. Brie smiled at Ethan, who hugged her.

"I don't know…" Jenny said as she eyed Alex, who was talking with some of his friends.

"Oh, come on Jen." Emily pleaded. "You _know_ you liiiikkkkeeee him." She sang. Jenny sighed and shook her head.

"Hey, there's Paige." Annalise said and gestured toward the oncoming crowd. Jenny turned around to look at Paige, who_ of course_, was at Jake's side. Jenny glared at Paige. "Don't worry Jen. Jake still likes you the most." Emily said.

"Then why's he hooking up with all these other girls?" Jenny asked as she eyed Paige.

"Because he wants to make you jealous, duh." Brie said. Jenny rolled her eyes.

"Come on, let's just enjoy the party, ok?" Emily asked. "We can deal with Jen's love life problems later." Jenny had to grin. She and the others agreed with Emily as they hit the dance floor.

He excused himself and decided to take a "quick break" from the partying and took a walk around the school. He looked at his watch. It was eight-thirty. _When is she gonna get here?_ He thought as he walked to the spot they were supposed to meet. _She said right here, and I'm here but she's not._ He decided to wait a little while and sat down. Finally a black limo pulled up to where he was sitting. He grinned at the figure that stepped out. Or started too. As the limo drove away, Jake Marstone's face went from a grin to pure horror.

Music filled her ears. She looked around. There seemed to be a million people here. Towards the back of the room, she saw a stage, with a band that she didn't know, was onstage. There were people dancing everywhere she turned. On the right of the room, she saw a row of tables with drinks and snacks on them, She looked around the crowd, searching for _him_. Deciding that the row of tables would be less crowded, she decided to go and get some punch. She pushed and shoved her way through the crowd. Once she was out, she sighed. _That wasn't fun…_ she thought as she grabbed some punch and scanned the crowd again. _Where is he?_ Jenny thought. She saw some of her classmates like, Hailey Miranda, Lanie Fudriat, Savanna Guzzardo, Ali Anderson, Kayla Ivey, Jena McCain, Sean Walker, and Hunter Hennessey. She also saw Brie and Ethan dancing.Jenny shook her head as they got swallowed up in the crowd. _I wish Jake were here…_ she thought as she noted all of the couples who had shown up. Her mind thought back to the note she had received in English class…

Something hit her, causing her to lose her balance. Instantly, she snapped out of her reverie, trying to get a grasp on her surroundings. On what had just happened as her punch spilled to the floor.

"Sorry!" someone called from the crowd. Jenny looked around, searching for the person who had bumped into her. After a few seconds of searching, she decided it wasn't worth it and saw Annalise walking towards her.

"Hey Anna. Have you seen Jake?" Jenny asked.

"What?" Annalise asked, trying to hear over the blaring music.

"Have you seen Jake?!" Jenny yelled.

"No, sorry Jen!" Annalise shouted.

She said something else that Jenny didn't understand, then she walked off into the crowd.

"Ugh!" she groaned. "If he's not here, then he might be outside…" Jenny turned around and ran outside. She glanced at her watch; _He'd better get here soon…_

Hailey Miranda watched the minutes tick by. _Where is Jake?_ She thought as someone bumped into her, running, clutching her stomach. A few seconds later, the sound of a door slamming could be heard. _Ugh! This is why I hate crowds and parties like this._ Hailey thought as she stepped outside for some fresh air. She decided to take a walk, not wanting to freeze to death by the cold ice that pricked her skin. _I knew I should have brought a sweater._ Hailey thought as she kept walking. St. Augustine's was an old place. Rumors said that the school was as old as St. Augustine herself. Hailey had never been one to be superstitious, but out here, the rumors came flooding back to her mind.

She looked around. The trees seemed to full of leaves…as if trying to hide something. Their roots stuck up from the ground, as if trying to ward off any invaders from entering the forest. She saw a small path that led into the forest. She knew where it led to: the cemetery. Where St. Augustine's most memorable residents rested in their graves. She shivered as the wind rushed past her, causing small chunks of ice to hit her bare arms. She walked up to the path and stopped in front of it. The oak trees moss hung down, turning gray in the moons glow. She looked around, peering into the darkness. She couldn't see the trees but knew where they were by the moss that hung from them. She could make out the outline of the small path that she was deciding weather to take of not. She rubbed her bare arms as another blast of cold wind hit her. She heard the loud music playing, and turned to look at where the party was. She saw what seemed to be like a million people there; all dancing, the older one's drinking, and everyone just having fun. _To go or not to go…_ she thought as she looked back to where the path lay, then back to the party again. To go. With her mind set, she headed off down the small path, and towards the cemetery.

She shivered and put her hands around her arms, trying to warm them up. _Crack._ Hailey gasped as she turned to her right, where she had heard the sound. _Rustle._ "Hello?" she called, hoping that this was some kind of joke. _Rustle. Crack. _"Lord, please help me get away from here and out alive and safe." Hailey prayed as she turned to run. But she was stopped short by a figure. A figure she knew well. In the moonlight was Jake Marstone, his body pinned to a trunk of a contorted oak tree in front of what Hailey realized, was a cemetery. She couldn't breathe. His face was as white as the snow that fell, his eyes wide with terror. A crimson stain covered the disheveled shirt of his tux, a big hole in its center. His head was bent at an impossible angle, crimson tears flowing from his body to make seemingly endless puddles on the ground. Hailey took a step back. "Oh my…no…. no…t-this…c-can't be happening…no…no…" This was a dream. She was going to wake up, she _had_ too….

Jenny Owens, her hands covered in blood, her white dress splattered and stained, was crumpled at her feet; her hair had fallen down, curls curing at her shoulders. She lifted her head, eyes filled with tears.

"Why?" she whispered. She looked at Hailey, at Jake, then back at Hailey.

"Why, Hailey?" Jenny demanded, face breaking out into a mask of rage and pain.

"_Why did you kill him_?"


	4. Chapter 2

"For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul."

Judy Garland

Chapter Two -

Seven years later…

December 12th 1999

San Francisco, California

Blood. She shivered at the thought_. No, don't think of that right now._ She walked faster. She had to go._ Now_. Before she had a mental breakdown at the mere thought of him. _Why did he have to die?_ Ugh! She had to stop thinking about him. _Now. _She broke into a run, the cold December air prick her skin; she needed the distraction. Badly. She didn't know why she had fallen for him. But she had; hard. She wished he'd never been in her life; that he would just one day be forgotten. But her mind wouldn't forget his smile, his laugh, and the thing she wanted to forget most; his dead body. Jenny's voice echoed in her head. "Why Hailey? Why did you kill him?" Jenny's voice, accusing her. _Her_. Of something she didn't do. Why would Jenny do that? _Jenny_, of all people; the nicest person in the entire grade. Hailey shook her head. Why did these things still linger, like endless shadows, haunting her. It's been seven years for Pete's sake! She should've buried her past better. No, she shouldn't have even gone looking for Jake. _It's all my fault._ She felt a tear down her cheek. She was to blame. If she hadn't gone looking for Jake, none of this would've happened. _Because you killed him__. _The voice in her head taunted her. She didn't know all of the facts, but she knew one thing: that somehow, she wasn't responsible for Jake's death. Then why did that voice in her head keep taunting her, forcing her to believe what was a lie. Or was it? She didn't know anymore. She walked faster, trying to distract herself with all of the sights and noises in the bustling city. She finally reached the coffee shop, it was just down the corner from her house but it seemed like it took her a lifetime to get to it. She walked inside and smelled the refreshing aroma of fresh-made coffee. She walked up to the counter, ordered her "normal" and sat down at a table by a window. She looked out at the city. It wasn't really the best place to be in; trashy-looking people with trashy-looking clothes on. She shivered. She just couldn't stand the fact that not everyone had a good fashion sense. _It's too bad._ she thought as she looked up to see Josh Marstone, Jake's older brother, walk in front of the coffee shop. _Look who's back..._ Hailey thought as she studied Josh, with his girlfriend, Casey Miller. They were the perfect couple. Casey, with her light-brown hair and big blue eyes, looked cute in her blue jeans and light blue top. While Josh, with his black hair and green eyes, looked _gorgeous_ in his blue jeans and white t-shirt. Hailey sighed. _I wish I could be like them. _She turned her head to look out at the window, and saw them looking at her in the reflection of the window. Casey turned to Josh and said something to him. He nodded, then they walked faster down the street. hand-in-hand. Hailey looked at the couple as they crossed the street. That was odd. Usually, they were happy to see Hailey. She sighed. _I guess I got my wish huh?_ It wasn't that she didn't like them; she just didn't feel like talking to anyone right now. _What to do? _she groaned inwardly as she drank a sip of her coffee. Hailey then got up out of her chair, threw her coffee away, and walked out of the shop. She knew what she had to do.

***

Seven years. Too long. _Way_ too long. Well, for _her_ anyway. But she had to be patient. The time was coming. The time for the Lord to come down, wipe off every sinner; to wipe away every tear from his or her eyes. She shivered in anticipation. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. she thought as she looked at the clock, at the second hand; listening to its ticking.

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. She grinned. Her favorite memory verse from Sunday school; Hebrews 9:22.

She sighed, got up out of the chair she had been sitting in, and went to another room. The room she appeared in had a table in the center with a Bible on top of the table, a chair next to the table, a computer next to the Bible, and a small lamp on the desk. Next to the lamp was paper, neatly stacked paper, with things written on the pieces. She picked up the top piece and looked at the list in her hand.

Jake

Jenny

Hailey

Annalise

Emily

She grinned and looked at the list. She read through them and smiled when she saw Jake's name with two lines through it. She also noted the other names; the ones that she had put a bold underline under them. She had special plans for those. But _they_ would have to wait, for she was saving the best for last. As she looked at those names, she began to shake. So much pain, torture, and rage had gone into those special names. They had taken _him_ away from her, and they would pay. She knew exactly how. By the least expected way. She knew they were Christians, so why not play their own game? They were Christians, or used to be, but lately they had strayed from The Faith. Not good. She needed to remind them that He was, _is_, in charge of everything. Not them, leading their pitiful lives. They needed a wake-up call. They all did. They needed to be snapped back into reality; life wasn't some kind of kid's game. It was time they grew up. She couldn't wait to see the look of fear on their faces when they knew who it was who was behind all of this. She shivered. She couldn't wait to see them, to look at their faces as she told them what they had done wrong to her, and how they had betrayed Him, which was, of course, a big no-no. She smiled. It was impossible to control the adrenaline that coursed through her veins. Oh, what a rush! No, she had to clam down. She had to think. Think _clearly_. She had to stay three steps ahead of the game. She began formulating plans, her mind whirling at the seemingly endless possibilities as she clicked on the mouse and began typing….


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter Three –

Jenny Owens' eyes sparkled as she laughed. The trees' green leaves seemed to bring out the life of nature. They seemed to stretch so far upward that they reached the heavens. The flowers smelled like sweet honey on a clear day. The grasses dew sparkled in the early morning sunlight, bringing out the life in the grass. The lake and pond waters shone as the sunlight touched them and when she looked in it, the water was crystal clear. _This_ is what Heaven's going to be like. she decided as she walked. She stopped to smell a rose, then looked around at the different displays of life in this little place. There was every kind of flower she could even imagine. There were roses, dandelions, tulips, sunflowers, daisies, azaleas, lilies, violets, black-eyed susans, and magnolia flowers. She looked at the trees. There were seemingly endless trees that reached as far as the eye could see and beyond. There were Fir trees, Cyprus trees, Oak trees, Pine trees, Maple trees, Dogwood trees, redwood trees, Magnolia trees, and evergreen trees. She looked at the crystal-clear water that reflected her image just perfectly. There was no other place she'd rather be than here. It was perfect. Beyond perfect. She just wanted to stay here forever. She continued walking down the garden path, admiring the flowers, all different and creative, each in its own way. She sighed. Nothing else could make her happier. She looked over to the right, where Alex, her boyfriend, was walking alongside her, holding her hand. She looked at him and continued to look at the variety of flowers. He smiled back and squeezed her hand. She looked at him again and smiled. _Yes, it's perfect_. she thought as he leaned in to brush a kiss against her cheek.

_***_

_Darkness loomed over her like a veil. The shadows filled the night, creeping up like a wave that never seemed to stop. The dark stain filled the sky and the ground. The only source of light was from the specks in the sky that seemed impossible to count. She shivered as the cold wind rushed by her. She looked up at those white specks, that seemed to reach as far, and maybe even farther than her eyes could see. She blew out a breath and she saw her breath rise up in a cold mist in front of her face. Yes, it was a cold day. A really cold day. An unusually cold day. But maybe that was her imagination. It was November after all… She didn't usually mind the cold, but today seemed…different. Everything seemed out of place. She didn't know why. Everything seemed vague, and her vision was blurry. She felt sick, felt like she had a hangover. She felt like she was going to throw up any minute now. She began to run. Then increased her pace, running faster, her breath coming out harder the faster she ran. She hoped she'd make it in time. Before something really bad happened. Her stomach felt like it was on fire, the flames eating away her body slowly. She felt like she couldn't hold it in any longer. She had to hurry…or else…_

She stopped typing and re-read what she had written. Yes, it fit perfectly with what she had planned. She grinned, showing her perfect teeth. She couldn't wait until tomorrow…until she could unleash her plan. She couldn't wait to put her plan into action. Time was short and it was about to get even shorter. She couldn't wait to see their faces when they realized what horrible sins they had committed. They would soon realize that they couldn't escape His great power and that they would suffer for their sins. She grinned. Everything was going according to His plan.

_The dark alleyway loomed ahead. Its shadows casting an evil eye everywhere she looked. She glared back at the shadows, trying to conquer her fear of what was yet to come. She shivered as she imagined the scene. Crimson stains coated her, making her skin turn red. Those stains left their death marks as she placed her hand on a tree, trying to get a moment's rest, before falling over roots and stumbling in this never-ceasing darkness. The crimson stains shed their tears; making her legs numb, weak; her arms swollen; her hair tousled everywhere; her entire body vulnerable. She tried to keep going but she didn't have the strength. The tears kept flowing, never going to stop, never going to waver. The tears were transformed into puddles, small puddles as they flowed. Those lifeless tears that would soon end her life. Well, threaten to end it. Maybe she could stop it. Or so she wished. She _wanted_, needed to get out of this place. This should never have happened…_

The darkness slowly lifted, revealing a misty fog that covered the tops of the trees that surrounded her. Emily McCants sighed as she watched the thin rays of light that stretched across the sky, reaching as far as the eye could see as the glowing globe rose higher into the sky, conquering the shadows. The sunlight sprinkled through the fog, lighting up the entire sky with a soft, warm glow. The fog lessened to reveal a gradual golden light that began to slowly creep up over the horizon, making the fog glow in the bright light before the fog surrendered to the light, lifting like a veil, to vanish into thin air.

She heard the crunching of the leaves underneath her feet as she walked. She felt the cold yet calm chill of the wind as it sent a wave through her hair. She smiled. She actually liked it out here, where everything was quiet in the morning, no big city with too-much traffic and too much noise. It was good to wake up at the sound of the birds singing instead of the honking of horns blasting in your ears. She whistled and a black and white collie trotted to her side. She stopped to pet the dog then continued to walk, the dog trotting alongside her. She watched as the dog sniffed at a branch, the turned its head away, looking disgusted, like it had just smelled a skunk. Emily laughed as the dog perked its ears up, then ran off into the woods. She continued to walk, enjoying the way the trees were placed, how the birds and squirrels made the small forest seem even livelier as the sun came out. She wished she had this feeling of joy all the time. But soon it would be time to head back and face reality once more.

It was cold, always cold. It was dark, always dark. The air was stale, the room small. The ground was concrete that hurt his feet when he walked on it. The walls were grim with bloodstains on them. Rusted chains hung from one end of the wall. Outside in the hallway, he heard the chatter of the other prisoners. He never talked to them; they were all on crack or just really stupid. All they talked about was how miserable their lives were and how they wished they could be back in their homes with their families. How did someone like him end up in a place like _this_? He heard footsteps coming down the hall. His eyes narrowed reflexively. When was he going to get out of here? That was _if _he even got out… Then the footsteps stopped. He opened his eyes as he saw a guard had stopped in front of his cell. At the sound of a turning key, the rats scattered. The rusted lock fell to the floor with a loud _splash. _The guard opened the door and stepped inside. She threw two knives at the chains from which Sean Walker hung. The rusted chains broke and he fell to the ground. He looked up at the guard, eyes filled with loathing. The guard kicked him in the ribs. He drew in a sharp breath but refused to react otherwise.

"Get up!" the guard ordered. "Follow me." She turned on her heel and started to walk out of the cell. Sean didn't move. He glared at the guard with distaste. The guard, noticing that Sean wasn't following her, stopped. "Hurry up, you fool! Do you want to stay in this dump for the rest of your life?" Sean looked at the guard, then looked around the prison. He quickly made up his mind and jumped to his feet and followed the guard, trying to keep up with his fast pace.

"Where are you taking me?" Sean asked as he walked.

"The Mistress has summoned you. You are to be under her care now." The guard explained. Sean thought a moment.

"What's her name?"

"You'll see." Came the reply.

"What's she like?"

"You'll see soon enough." The guard snapped as she stopped in front of a regular-looking door.

"Get changed." She ordered as she threw some clothes at his feet. Sean obeyed and was dressed in five minutes. The guard looked him over, gave a satisfied nod, then motioned for him to follow her again. They stopped in front of another regular-looking door. The door opened and the guard left. Sean stepped cautiously inside to see a woman who was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. She had long, honey-colored hair that flowed down her back and stopped at her waist. She looked up at Sean and grinned.

"Well, well, well…if it isn't Sean Walker. Isn't _this_ a surprise? Who thought the good 'lil boy would be stuck in _jail_? Certainly not me." Her emerald green eyes sparkled. Sean looked at her with disbelief.

"Savanna?!" He almost shouted as he ran forward to hug her. She laughed as she hugged him back.

"It's good to see you!" he smiled.

"Same here." she smiled back as she sat down and motioned for him to sit.

"So, have you been in touch with them?" Sean asked casually, hoping that she had. Savanna sighed.

"Well," she began, "The last time I heard from Jenny was…oh what was it…two months ago? No, make that three. And Hailey…five months."

"Oh." Sean breathed out.

"But they're doing good. I'm supposed to fly in to visit Emily tomorrow. Maybe you could come with me?" It wasn't really a question, but Sean happily agreed. Savanna typed something into her computer, then nodded to Sean. "Ok, it's a deal." She smiled.

As Sean got up to leave, he hesitated.

"Yes?" Savanna asked, noting his hesitation.

"What did I do to deserve this? I was in jail an hour ago and now I'm going to meet old friends like nothing's happened. What's going on here?" Savanna sighed.

"Ok, here's the deal. We need you to come help us with this…special case."

"Involving Jake Marstone." Sean grimaced at the name. Savanna didn't seem to take notice.

"You're fast." Savanna grinned.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Sean asked, trying to lighten up the mood, as he jumped out of his chair.

"One more thing Sean." Savanna said, face grim.

"What?" Sean asked impatiently, eyeing Savanna cautiously. Savanna took a deep breath as she took out a piece of paper, her hands shaking. Sean took the piece of paper and found that his hands were shaking also. Sean looked at the piece of paper and gasped.

After returning from her walk, Emily sighed. She looked at the clock. It was two-thirty. _Everyone is supposed to be here at six_. she thought. A tremor of excitement coursed through her blood. It's been seven years since she saw everyone. She couldn't wait! She walked into the kitchen, flipped open a cookbook, and looked at some recipes. _Hmm… What should I cook for dinner tonight?_

The darkness lifted to reveal a soft light that crept up the mountains and shone brilliantly over the calm, crystal-clear waters. It was a great day to take a walk outside. She looked around at the fog-covered trees, the soft glow of the sun, and the sheer miracle that only He could create. She walked down the front porch, put on her shoes, and walked down a leave-covered path. Yes, Fall was the best time of year. It was the time when all old things began to fade away; the perfect time to execute her plans. Well, make that _His_ plans. She was just a mere pawn in the game, but she didn't mind. _As long as He sees my light shining for His glory, I'm sure he'll accept me. After all, I am the __Chosen One__._ The killer thought as she grinned. Yes, the time was creeping nearer.


	6. Chapter 4

"Have you ever noticed there is never any third act to a nightmare? They bring you to a climax of terror and then leave you there."

- Max Beerbohm

Chapter Four -

Time is odd when you are dreaming. Sometimes the night goes by in a flash. Other times, it seems like hours but on the clock only a few minutes have passed.

But like every night, when you are dreaming, you don't want to wake up, don't want to face the next day. You want to stay wrapped up in that dream; you are encumbered by it. You are apart of the dream, inside it, all around it; you control it. This dream is yours, no one else's. Yours. The power is in your hands to give and take. To appear and disappear. You are in control and no one, nothing can stop you.

Then there are some dreams you can't control. It's like you're watching the dream, from the sidelines. You are frozen in time, powerless to help. You aren't allowed that power, and it makes your frustrated. You want the power to control, to freeze time; but you are denied that power. You can't have that power. Not in these dreams. These dreams control _you_. And there's noting you can do about it. So you sit on the sidelines, watching, waiting, hoping this dream won't turn into a nightmare. You hope that once the nightmare tarts, you can awake to the world, to convince yourself it's just a dream; its not reality, and that you're ok. That nightmare can't touch you. You're safe.

That's _if_ the nightmare comes. You hope it's a good dream tonight, a pleasant dream. Not a nightmare. This is what she hoped. That her dreams would giver her peace, not worry. She closed her eyes and let her dreams consume her.

She was floating, her midnight mane was blowing in her face, her crystal-clear blue eyes were staring ahead into the green mist that surrounded her. Her eyes were staring, searching for something. Suddenly the wind stopped, the green mist cleared, and time was frozen. The fog in her head cleared, and she could see again, think again, feel again. She looked around, trying to see where she was. She saw trees surrounding her, a blanket of leaves and sticks underneath her feet, and sun shining through the trees, making the leaves glow as if touched by magic. She looked around while she walked, marveling at the forest's beauty, her eyes soaked in the leaves, trees, earth, and sky. She smiled as she was overcome by sheer joy.

In a flash, the dream changed…

Darkness spilled out into the sky, like a shadow creeping into the light. The darkness spread out, like waves, never stopping, never seeming to end. These monstrous waves stretched forth like a hand, enveloping the light of day into nothingness. The light faded into yet another night. Leaves blew softly in the wind. Tree branches rustled softly. The moon cast its light on the earth, separating darkness from light. The clouds danced like shadows to a flame around the moon, making the moon seem to glow with a soft, cold glow.

She walked along the path, enjoying this time of peace and tranquility. Some leaves rustled in the wind, then slowly drifted to the ground as the wind faded. Yet another cold, lifeless night. She didn't mind. The wind played softly with her midnight mane, making it dance around her face. Her clear, light-blue eyes shone brilliantly in the darkness. Her pale skin seemed to glow in the moons soft light. She smiled. This was peace to her. Here, in the quiet. No one to disturb her, no one to be with. This is her haven, a place to be alone, to be given time to think, given room to breathe, away from the bustling lives of everyone else. Everyone else, trying to make it in this world and be 'successful in life'. She smirked. What a stupid thing to aim for. You can't decide your Fate. Fate chooses you. All you can do is follow the path that Fate leads you on and learn from the lessons Fate gives you.

The sand, wet from being encumbered by the ocean, felt good as her feet seemed to sink into it. She walked along the beach, her dress swaying in the wind, hair blowing softly. Her clear-blue eyes started out into the forest, staring at the figure's silhouette as if in a trance. Her feet seemed to move on their own. It felt like she was floating towards the figure. Their eyes locked. The figure smiled, perfect white teeth showing. Suddenly, she stopped, as if she were frozen solid. _What_? she thought. She tried to smile back, but her mouth wouldn't move. The figures smile faltered, seeming to think that she didn't want to smile back. _No_. she thought. She tried to move but couldn't. _What's happening_? She panicked, her mind melting.

She seemed to be trapped in time. Everything around her slowed down. She heard the waves of the ocean, slowly crashing down. She smelled the salt of the ocean, felt her feet move. She was standing on the ocean, her feet descending lower. Her eyes snapped open, filled with terror. She couldn't move. The water pierced her skin like thousands of needles. She gasped in pain. Her head was spinning, she couldn't breathe. As her feet were engulfed by the water, she felt it. _This feeling…_ Her eyes widened in realization. She was going to die. Soon. Her eyes looked up to the figure, begging and pleading. Please, help me! She thought as she descended lower into the watery depths. The figure tilted its head, as if unsure of what was going on, unsure of what she was trying to say.

The water was rapidly climbing higher, as it reached her knees. She had to get out of here. Now. She tried to lift her hand, but it wouldn't budge. She tried to open her mouth, to scream, to shout, but nothing came out. The only thing that she could do is wait. With the water engulfing her, she was helpless. The figure kept watching, as if waiting for some kind of miracle to happen. She tried to move her arms, kick her legs, do _something_ to keep from drowning. _This isn't happening. This _can't_ be happening. Not to me._ she thought as the water surrounded her, engulfing her and dragged her into it's depths. _So, this is it I guess…_ she thought as she sank lower. _My fate has been chosen for me…_ she hit the sand with a soft _thud_. Suddenly, she felt her body rising higher and higher. She couldn't more, couldn't breathe. She wanted to thank the person for helping her up. Then she realized; no one was helping her. The waves were moving her closer and closer to the shore. The waves roller her over like a log, making her hit her head on rocks and sand. This wasn't the way she would've rathered to be rescued, but she took it. If it meant staying alive, she would take the chance. She hit her head on a large rock. _Ugh._ she thought. She felt lightheaded. She smelled blood. Her eyes widened. _Blood?!_ She was terrified of blood…and sharks. She tried to move her arms but again, they were useless. All she could do now was hope that a shark wouldn't smell the blood. She hit another rock. Her arm felt like it was on fire. Her leg got caught in seaweed. She tried to pull it out but didn't have the strength. She waited until a big wave came, untangled the seaweed but crashed her body into the sand. Seashells stuck out, marking her skin. _This is what Fate has chosen for me…_she thought as she was washed up to the shore of the ocean. _I can't complain…_

And the figure just stood there and continued to watch her as she closed her eyes and breathed her last breath.

Hailey Miranda awoke with a scream. Sweat pouring down in waves on her face; gasping for breath, eyes wide with fear, she sat up in her bed. She looked around wildly, turning her head left, then quickly to the right. Searching for something out of place, out of the ordinary. Sensing nothing wrong, she slowly drifted back into her pillow. _It was just a dream…_ she thought, forcing calming, deep breaths. _It was just a dream…no need to flip out…not gonna really happen…_

Suddenly, an image floated to the surface of her mind. One she had long forgotten. Of seven years ago…on Prom night…

She stared ahead, trying to see where the path twisted and turned. A blanket of fallen leaves at her feet, she continued to walk forward, trying to ignore that presence. That evil malevolence, trying to ignore the ghosts that threatened to be watching her at every twist and turn, trying to ignore the warning, that silent warning that she was making the biggest mistake of her life. Heart thrumming in her ears, she continued to bravely walk forward, one shaky step after another. It was ironic where she was headed; the cemetery. A place where the souls screamed bloody murder, haunting anyone who approached those rusty iron gates. Those gates that led to Hell. Those gates that were next to that tree. The tree upon which he died…

She shivered, forcing her mind off the past and into the present. From that dream…that nightmare. She stared at the ceiling. Why? Why couldn't she get over that fear; that guilt? It's been seven years. _Seven years_ for Pete's sake! Why? Why did she still have to think about him? Why did she have those dreams, those haunting dreams that, when she woke up, she was suddenly reminded of the past? Reminded of that tree. Of him. His broken body…all that blood…

Once again, she forced her mind away from that image. She had buried her past for so long; so well. Why did it have to come up now? Why couldn't she just forget and move on? Why did it happen on Prom night? _Prom Night_! The one night in her life she was supposed to be happy, not broken down in pieces; not supposed to have her heart broken like shattered glass.

She couldn't stand it anymore! Couldn't bear it any longer. She threw the sheet off the bed, ran into the bathroom, and coughed up blood. _Ugh!_ she thought, gripping hard on the sink's edge, sweat pouring down her face. _Why_? she thought. His face…all that blood… She coughed up more blood. More sweat poured down her face. Why?! Why was this happening? What did she do to deserve _this_? This pain and torture that's eating her heart and soul out. More blood coughed up. _This is not good…_ she leaned her head against the cool mirror, gasping for breath. She lifted her head and stared at her reflection. Her usually rosy skin was pale, her green eyes were red from crying, her pupils wide. "Why?!" A fresh wave of tears streamed down her cheeks. "Why did he have to-" she coughed up more blood. Her stomach felt like it was being eaten from the inside out, torn apart at the seams, she could barely breathe; her lungs felt as if they were on fire, ready to explode into a world of pain any minute. She couldn't say the last word… _die_. She threw up, then looked at the mirror and into those haunted eyes. _So this is what I'm dammed to…_

Jenny Owens sat on the couch, watching TV, when Alex Shows and Annalise drove up in Alex's car. Jenny clicked the TV off and went to get her purse. She was out the door in a flash. Alex smiled at her as she got in and sat next to him in the front seat. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, pulled out of her driveway, and headed towards Emily McCant's house.

She jumped into the car, stepping on the gas pedal as hard as she could. I have to get out of here. She thought, fighting to urge to throw up all over again. _Now_! She backed out of the driveway, almost hitting another car as she sped off. Fifteen agonizing minutes passed. Each minute seemed like an hour. She turned a corner and pulled into the doctor's office parking lot. She had barely lifted her foot from the gas pedal, when she jumped out of the car, running for the door. The receptionist looked up from writing to give Hailey a dubious look.

"Doctor Benson will be with you in a few minutes Ms…"

"Miranda." Hailey said. The receptionist went back to writing. Hailey sat down in a chair; taking calming, deep breaths. The next five minutes seemed to take longer than the car ride. Hailey looked at the clock, watching the seconds tick by slowly.

Finally, the door opened. Hailey looked up to see Doctor Benson walk through the open door. He smiled at her, then led her down the hall and to the third door on the left.

"So, how are things going?" Dr. Benson asked. Hailey shook her head.

"Not good."

The doctor waited. Hailey took a deep breath, hoping she wouldn't have to go into too much detail. She decided to break it down as much as possible.

"I've been having trouble breathing at night and when I wake up, I-" she searched for a better word than 'throw up'. "-let go of blood." The doctor nodded, understanding what she meant. When he asked no further questions, Hailey inwardly sighed. Dr. Benson took out a note pad, wrote something down, and stood up.

"I'll be right back."

Hailey nodded as the door closed behind him.

With the doctor out of the room, she could breathe again. She thought of the different things that could be the problem. She thought back to seven years ago. Of course, her first thought was of him. Fighting the urge to throw up once more, she forced her thoughts to her Senior Psychology class. On what the teacher had been teaching. In her mind's eye, she saw her teacher writing something on the board. She heard her teacher saying something. What was it the teacher was talking about? She tried to remember what was on the board. She saw vague words. Words to blurry to make out. Sweat broke out on her forehead. _Why can't I remember?_ That was it. The image shattered. All that remained was his face. She tried to get another glimpse past it, but to no avail. She couldn't escape that haunting face. One she wished to escape. One she couldn't escape. Ever. No matter how hard she wanted to. The one thing that kept her lying awake at night, too scared to fall back asleep. That face. Those eyes…

The door opened, tearing her away from her reverie. Away from those haunting memories…for now. Dr. Benson walked in, holding a piece of paper. He handed it to Hailey, face grim. Hailey took the list and looked at it. It read:

*Bereavement

Schizophrenia

Oneirophrenia

*Nightmare Disorder

*Psychosis

She looked up from the list.

"_This _is what you came up with? That I'm…I'm…" she lost the words to speak.

"Mentally ill, yes." Dr. Benson stated. Hailey looked at him, incredulous.

"_Mentally ill_?!" she shrieked.

"There is no other explanation." The doctor stated calmly.

"No…no!" Hailey forced down the bile in her throat. "I'm _not_ ill and I'm _not_ going to take _those_-" she gestured to the pills on the desk. "-at all."

The doctor shrugged.

"It's for your own good. But it's your choice. Come back anytime you feel the need." He opened the door for her. Barely able to contain the bile that threatened to spill out, Hailey ran to the bathroom, and let out more blood. _I'm not ill_. She thought. _I'm_ not! She looked up at the mirror and let out a scream of bloody murder.

That face… All of that blood… Those lifeless eyes boring into her own. A face she knew well. Knew from her nightmares. A dead face. _His_ dead face, next to her own. And it was staring right at her.

She ran to her car, opened the door, and slammed her keys into the ignition. She stomped on the gas pedal and tore down the road. She grabbed her phone and seeing that there was a missed call, listened to it. It was Jenny.

"Hailey. There's a meeting at Emily's at six-" Hailey looked at the clock. It was five-thirty. "-and we'd like you to come." The phone beeped. 'End of Message' it said. Great. Just what she needed. A seven-year reunion meeting. For Prom Night. This was going to be interesting. She did a U-turn and headed for Emily's house. Once she was there, she put some make-up on and plastered her best fake smile on her face. Everyone has their secrets. _Oh shut up!_ She thought as she opened the car door, got out, and walked up the porch and to the door.

Inside, Hailey saw Sean Walker, Savanna Guzzardo, Jenny Owens, Alex Shows, Annalise, and Emily McCants.

"Hey guys!" Hailey smiled, a real smile. One that she needed. Badly.

"Hey, hey, look who's arrived!" Jenny got up out of her chair and hugged Hailey.

"Hey, Jen." Hailey hugged her back. She looked at the group. "Wow. I can't believe it's been so long since I've seen y'all." Emily grinned.

"I know right?"

Hailey sat down in an empty chair next to Annalise, who hugger her. "So, what've y'all been plotting while I was gone?" Hailey joked.

"About how to turn St. Augustine's into a graveyard." Annalise said. Everyone laughed. Everyone except Hailey and Jenny. They looked at each other, an unspoken memory flashed between them. Of that night…

"Ok, everyone. Seriously now. The reunion's three months away." Emily said. Annalise sighed.

"Three months?! That's not enough time. We can't track everyone down, tell them where to be and all that jazz, in just three months." Hailey almost shouted. Emily fixed her with a level stare.

"I know. Do you know where anyone is?" she looked around. "Does _anyone_ know where any of your old friends are?"

Sean looked at the ceiling. Annalise tapped her pencil. Alex stared at the wall.

"Brie's in Memphis." Jenny stated. More silence. Savanna's head snapped up.

"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it. I'll track everyone down. You guys just worry about the preparations." Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Jen and I will give you the information we already have." Hailey said. Savanna nodded.

"Thanks."

After about half an hour of visiting, the sky began to darken. Everyone said their goodbyes, got in their cars, promised to keep in touch, and parted ways. Emily sighed. _Wow. What a night._ She thought as she stood at the front door, waving to Annalise as she sped off in her Mercedes. Emily smiled at the fading car. The moment was short-lived. Her dog, Olivia, started barking. Emily's head snapped up, all of her senses alert. _Rustle_. Something in the woods. Emily dismissed the sound. _Probably a squirrel._ Olivia often got excited when they were around. Emily turned to the door. _Crack_! She turned back around. That was definitely _not_ a squirrel. She looked around in the dark, trying to see where the sound was coming from. It all happened in a flash. One minute, she was standing on her porch. The next, she was being pushed against a tree, having something sharp pressed against her back. She tried to scream but a hand covered her mouth and the sharp object was pressed, about an inch she guessed, into her back.

"Be quiet!" her assailant hissed into her ear. Emily's eyes widened. That voice! She struggled, trying to get free of the assailant's grip. It was no use. The sharp blade was pressed further into her back every time she moved. If only she could be sure of who her attacker really was...

"Stop that! Do you want to die?" The blade was pressed further into her back. Emily felt lightheaded, dizzy. She couldn't think straight. All she could think was: _I have to get out of here and tell them who it really is… _Using all of her available consciousness and strength, she jerked her head backwards, hitting her attacker in the jaw, and let out a scream. The sharp object was sent flying through her back. Emily, eyes wide, looked down at the blade that was protruding out of her heart. Emily McCants slowly looked the attacker's face, eyes filled with shock, before she hit the ground. Dead.

She looked at the list again and scratched out Emily's name.

Jake

Jenny

Hailey

Annalise

Emily

She grinned with satisfaction. Only three more to go… Soon, they would know the truth of God's wrath. They would soon see how they had erred in taking Jake away from her. Bad mistake. No, _horrible_ mistake. A mistake that needed to be taught a lesson. A lesson that they would never forget; one that they would take to their very graves. She grinned.

Hailey Miranda dialed Jenny's number on her cell phone. After the second ring, Jenny picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Jen. Look I need a favor, and I know it's gonna be hard to ask of you, but can you stop by the house for a few minutes?"

"Look Hay, I'm sorry but this is a bad time for me. Alex and I are going out to eat. So, can we try tomorrow?"

Hailey sighed. What happened to her best friend? "Tomorrow's fine." They hung up, and Hailey drove to her house, trying not to let the tears fall down her face. What happened Jen?


End file.
